Nov. 14, 2008
DALLAS, Texas (www.ucfathletics.com) - On a windy evening in Dallas, Texas, second-seeded Kentucky (12-4-4) got a second-half goal on a header from defender Barry Rice and defeated sixth-seeded UCF (7-11-1) 1-0 in the first semifinal of the 2008 Conference USA men's soccer tournament Friday at Wescott Field on the campus of SMU.
"It was tough conditions for both teams," said head coach Bryan Cunningham. "Once Kentucky scored we threw everything at them and it just wasn't for us tonight. We never got into a rhythm in the attack. Give credit to their defense for shutting us down. We certainly had some chances late, but unfortunately it was not enough. I am proud of passion and work ethic they exhibited and we have a lot to look forward to with this team in the future."
As has been the case consistently throughout the season, the Knights' defense played strong throughout. In the first half, despite being outshot 12-2, UCF kept the Wildcats from scoring and went to the halftime break knotted in a scoreless tie. Sophomore Sean Johnson (Lilburn, Ga.) stopped two shots in the period.
In the 66th minute, UK broke the tie on the Rice goal. A corner kick was cleared by the UCF defense, but Jase Griffiths sent a cross back into the box, and the wind took it past Johnson to the far post where Rice headed it in from in close.
The Knights put the pressure on late, getting three good shot attempts over the final 25 minutes. In the 85th minute, sophomore Yaron Bacher (Atlanta, Ga.) fired a shot, but UK keeper was there for the save. UCF's leading scorer Kevan George (Dectur, Ga.) ripped a shot only to see Williams make another save.
With seven in the game, Johnson finishes the season with 108 saves, tied for the third-highest total in the program's history. The total is the most since 1986 and the highest in UCF's Division I history.
With seven wins in 2008, UCF had its most victories since winning seven games in 2005. The Knights tied their previous record with three Conference USA wins, and also won a conference tournament game for the first time.
"This team in one year's time went from having just two points in conference and not making the tournament to finishing in a tie for third and advancing to the semifinals, and it is a tribute to the leadership of the three seniors - Bryan Collier (Fayetteville, Ga.), Ryan Roushandel (Atlanta, Ga.) and Chris Andaur (Naples, Fla.) - that made that happen," said Cunningham. "They have been tremendous leaders and shown an example of good attitude and passion for the game to our young players. They will xbe sorely missed."
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Soccer Game Summary (Final)
UCF vs Kentucky (Nov 14, 2008 at Dallas, Texas)
UCF (7-11-1, 3-4-1 C-USA) vs. Kentucky (12-4-4, 6-1-1 C-USA)
Date: Nov 14, 2008 Attendance: 278
Weather: Partly Cloudy, wind at 14 MPH
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
UCF........................ 0 0 - 0
Kentucky................... 0 1 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 65:32 UK Barry Rice (Jase Griffiths;Chad Hagerty) - Cross headed in from 2 yd
Shots: UCF 5, Kentucky 26 Saves: UCF 7 (Johnson, Sean 7), Kentucky 2 (Dan Williams 2)
Semifinals of the 2008 Conference USA Tournament